Can I Legally Adopt My Girlfriend's Child?

My girlfriend has a child from a previous relationship gone wrong. Child is 7.
My girlfriend, soon to be fiance has full rights by Court order so father is legally out of the picture, has his own kids with someone else and has abandoned this first child for over 4 years. The Court removed all his rights and consent power.

What would it take to adopt this child without any agency involved? The mother wants this. The child wants this. I want this. What is the cost and time frame? I understand that if I'm married to the child's mother, that doesn't automatically make me legally responsible for the child, not until a formal adoption has taken place. Is this correct?

Thanks 🙏

@Videobroker, yes, you can legally adopt your girlfriend's child:

cuk.pl/porady/przysposobienie-dziecka


According to that link it can take around 2 years.


Yes, correct, but it would speed up the process.


Sorry, no idea. If your girlfriend is Polish, can't she look for such information herself? Unless you're looking for foreigners with similar experiences on this forum?

I think if you do that you will also be responsible for the kid until quite a late age (24 ?) and they might be responsible for you when you are old - really check out what you are signing up for and remember they are not cute kids for long

I urge you to spend a few hundred bucks for a proper lawyer